Stay Cool: Balancing Pitta Dosha
Pitta is one of the three psycho-physiological elements that govern the different activities of mind and body. Composed of fire and water, Pitta dosha governs metabolism and transformation in the body, including digestion. Pitta is associated with heat, and its effects are especially felt during the hot summer, from July to October. Whether you have a lot of Pitta in your constitution or not, you need to pay attention to pacifying Pitta during the summer.

Signs of an aggravated Pitta include excess stomach acid, heartburn, skin eruptions and irritability. Following a Pitta-pacifying diet can help keep this fiery element in balance.

A Pitta-pacifying diet
What’s the first thing you reach for on a hot summer day-a cold drink? We instinctively know that cool drinks and cool foods help balance Pitta and replenish fluid levels in the body. But if a drink is ice-cold, it will douse your digestive fire and disrupt digestion, so it’s best to avoid iced drinks, especially during meals. Also stay away from carbonated drinks because they slow down digestion. Freshly blended fruit juices and nectars drunk at room temperature are nutritious, satisfying and delicious. Grapes, sweet pineapple and water melon are some refreshing choices.

Cook with cooling spices such as fennel, mint and coriander, and reduce hot spices such as dried ginger and mustard seed.

Favor foods that are liquid rather than dry, and cool or lukewarm rather than hot. Lentil soups flavored with Pitta Churna make a nutritious pitta-pacifying meal.

Drink lots of room temperature or cool water and sip 2-3 cups of Pitta Tea during the day. Pitta Tea contains cooling spices and rose petals, renowned in ayurveda for cooling down the mind, body and emotions. Fresh fruit juices and the water from young coconuts are wonderful pick-me-ups on warm sultry days.

Thank you to everyone who came out to Whole Foods for the cooking class last night! We had a blast! If you missed it, you’re going to want to try out these recipes for sure; we were told that last night’s class was one of the best we’ve done!